Openings: Coryanthes alborosea

Coryanthes alborosea red form flowering at the Atlanta Botanical Garden

This vibrantly spotted and spattered orchid is one of the siblings of the Coryanthes alborosea that I photographed last week. The seedlings, which are now flowering for the first time, are the result of a selfing of the red splashed color variant. A small percentage of the seedlings look like their parent.

This is a plant that leaves me awestruck. If you tried to describe it to a friend what would you say? Do you think anyone would believe you?

A Bucket Orchid Opens

Coryanthes alborosea opening at the Atlanta Botanical Garden.

Coryanthes alborosea one half hour after opening.

The right-hand flower of Coryanthes alborosea. Note the liquid already accumulating in the bucket.

If you arrive at the Fuqua Orchid Center greenhouses early in the morning you can sometimes catch a Bucket Orchid (Coryanthes) bud in the act of opening. The bud looks like an enormous wrinkled chrysalis. It usually takes a couple of hours to fully open. First, the bud splits lengthwise along its seam, then the petals and sepals reflex backward to reveal the amazing lip. Coryanthes flowers only last about three days.

Wednesday morning I photographed a pair of Coryanthes alborosea flowers as they opened. The half-opened sepals framed the lip like angel wings.

Love the furry cap.

Click here to find out how a Coryanthes flower works.